Portret van de vrouw van de kunstenaar Georg Friedrich Schmidt, naaiend c. 1773 - 1840

This small portrait of a woman sewing was made by Amalie Baader, using the technique of etching. Consider the ways in which the labor of the artist mirrors that of her subject. Just as the woman meticulously works with thread and fabric, Baader carefully manipulates the etching needle to create lines on a metal plate. This act of mark-making results in a delicate network of strokes, carefully built up to describe form and texture. Notice how the cross-hatching defines the folds of her subject’s garments, and how the light softly models her face. There’s a direct relationship between the labor represented in the image, and the labor required to produce it. Baader's etching elevates the everyday act of sewing, inviting us to appreciate the artistry inherent in both domains. Ultimately, this work challenges any strict separation between fine art and the artistry of everyday life.